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Adygea
Adygea ( , : ; , : ; alternatively transliterated as Adygeya or Adyghea), officially the Republic of Adygea, is a in . It borders to the north and east, to the south, and the and Seas to the west. The city of Maykop is the country's capital. Adygea is a , organised as a al . Adygea is currently a member of the , the , the , the , the North Caucasus Association of Social and Economic Collaboration and the , and seeks integration with the and . History In antiquity The North-West was first inhabited in times (around 750,000 years ago). The first settlements appeared approximately 100,000 years ago. Around the middle of the , the Maykop Kuban and Dolmen cultures appear. Later, the Dolmens push the Maykopians eastward; the Maykop culture, with influence from the Dolmens, would become the forbearer of Circassian culture. By the second millennium, however, the Dolmens were entirely assimilated by the indigenous Northwest Caucasians. The Maykop culture would ultimately fall to the by the close of the 12th century. In the , Colchian culture, associated with the Abkhaz, appeared in the Caucasus. During the late and early , the Cimmerians, later Alans, and still later the Ossetians, displaced the proto-Circassian tribes in Central Caucasus and founded what is known today as . In the , the Iron Age begins to develop in the Northwest Caucasus, and by the , proto- have set up a rudimentary nation-state, and conduct raids into neighbouring territories. In the , the first mention of the Maeotians is made. During this time, they establish a more coherent state in the steppes to the north of the . The state survives for almost a millennium. Other kindred peoples begin, during this time, to establish states: Kerkets, Achaens, Heniokhs, Toretians, etc. During the , the Sinds, a people kindred to the Maeots, established Sindika civilization with its capital at . In , a heterogeneous kingdom is established. In , the establishment of a dominion on the eastern Black Sea coast is recorded. In 26 AD, describes the Zyghoys, which name appears for the first time in annals of history and replaces old appellation Kerket. From to AD, the process of supplantation continues: the Sanighs, Abaski and Apsiles replace Heniokhs, their forbears; Zyghoys and Achaens replaced by Zikhis, their descendants, in Roman annals. During the 3rd and 4th centuries, the are established north of the Caucasus, and continually battle with the Circassians, but in , the Gothic kingdom is overthrown by the , who, four years later, invade the Caucasus. The hinterland Maeotians remove to the safety of mountains, while those on the Black Sea shore undisturbed. Byzantine fortresses appear on Black Sea coast and Taman Peninsula during this time. Christianity is introduced to some Circassians living on the coastal areas. In the 550s and 560s, the attempt to subjugate the Circassians, but are repulsed. The Avars make no further attempt to control the western Caucasus. The oldest known literary piece of the Adyghe is the Nart Epos. Medieval Adygea By the , the Circassians were consolidated into one ethnic and linguistic entity. Circa , the Circassian kingdoms of Adygaza and Kabardia, and the various scattered tribes outside their rule (most notably the Shapshugs), became united under Khevard Sharatko, who established a pan-Circassian nation-state in the North Caucasus, with its capital at Labinsk. Further conquests would lead to a broad and long-standing sphere of influence across the area between the and s, which established an alliance with the kingdom of to its south. The Adyghe people prospered in the area in that time, and the period between 1200 and is sometimes known in Adyghe literature as the Golden Age of the Northern Caucasus or the Renaissance of the Adyghe. This period of prosperity, however, was short-lived, and much like the kingdom's ally to the south, Georgia, Adygea was also conquered by the s in . Thereafter, different local rulers fought for their independence from central Adygean rule, until the total disintegration of the Kingdom in the . Neighbouring kingdoms exploited the situation and from the onward, the subjugated the region of Adygea (the briefly controlled the area from around and , but were pushed out by Ottoman advances). The rulers of regions which remained partly autonomous organised rebellions on various occasions. Subsequent Persian and Turkish invasions further weakened local kingdoms and regions. War with Russia :Main article: During the years between 1764 and 1864, the Adyghe, along with other Western Karbadian tribes, fought Russian expansion into their area. The Circassians were able to resist campaigns against them until May of 1864, when the allied forces of Adygea lost to Russian troops at Kabadaa near Sochi (Later renamed to Krasnaya Polyana its present russian name). After their defeat, a large number of the conquered were to the and the , after a series of uprisings against Imperial rule, an event that rings sorely with the Circassians as a whole, even in modern times. Adygea was officially incorporated into the Russian Empire on 21 May 1864 with a Russian troops parade at Kabadaa (Krasnaya Polyana) symbolising the end of the Russo-Circassian war. Until this date, 21 May became to be marked as a day of mourning for all Circassian communities spread around in diaspora or in homeland. Brief independence and Soviet Adygea After the , the Adygeans declared themselves independent and established the Democratic Republic of Adygea, led by a , Yevgeniy Kanisev. However, in December of , Adygea was attacked by the , and despite the efforts of Mensheviks and Adyghe sympathisers to stave off the conquest, the opposition was overwhelmed—most fled to (the descendants of whom would later serve in the on the side), while a small number surrendered and were later executed. The Adyghe SSR was established on , , as part of the . At that time, Krasnodar was the administrative centre. It was renamed Adyghe (Cherkess) SSR on , , soon after its creation. The Soviet Socialist Republic was a part of the short-lived Transcaucasian SFSR from to . Following the dissolution of the former SFSR, the name was changed back to Adyghe SSR in July of , and the capital moved to Maykop. Independence and modern times Shortly after the , on , , the Adyghe National Front was formed, which advocated from the Soviet government, following the independence movements of other Soviet republics. The Front declared itself to be the successor to the Soviet government and announced the independence of the Adyghe SSR, renamed the Republic of Adygea, from the USSR on , . The state's independence went unrecognised by the Soviet Union until September of . In May of 1995, a national constitution was signed in to law. Elections for the presidency resulted in the previous of the Adyghe SSR, Aslan Dzharimov, becoming the President. He appointed Nikolay Pedan as his Prime Minister, who was confirmed a day later by the State Council. Politics and government The head of government in Adygea is the President, who is elected for a five-year term. The current President is Lyov Bacherikov (since , ), succeeding Hazret Sovmen. There is also a directly elected State Council (Khase), which comprises the Council of Representatives and the Council of the Republic. Both Councils are elected every five years and have 68 deputies each. The Prime Minister of Adygea is appointed by the President with the consent of the National Assembly. The current Prime Minister of Adygea is Dmitriy Jaikbaev (since , ). The republic's Constitution was adopted on , . Ethnic tension is a considerable problem in the republic; the Union of Slavs of Adygea was formed after the Republic's independence to combat against ic inhabitants, while the Adyge Khase was formed to promote Adyghe involvement in the government. Foreign relations While Adygea has been willing to work with in recent years, such as cooperating in and , it also retains significant ties to , which have been strained of late. Of primary concern is Russian economic pressure, which some analysts claim is indicative of Russia trying to get Adygea back in to its sphere of influence. Disagreements about nuclear weapons, gas and oil prices and contracts, and in general a policy of cooperation with Atlantic states have contributed to a rocky and tense association with the Russian Federation. Administrative divisions Adygea is divided into 31 federal regions: * 28 federal districts (federalnje rayonha) * 3 republics (respublikha) (Kabardino-Balkaria, Karachay-Cherkessia and North-West Ossetia-Alania) The federal rayons are: Giaginsky, Koshekhablsky, Krasnogvardeysky, Maykopsky, Shovgenovsky, Takhtamukaysky, Teuchezhsky, Abinsky, Anapsky, Apsheronsky, Beloglinsky, Gulkevichsky, Primorsko-Akhtarsky, Bryukhovetsky, Korenovsky, Ust-Labinsky, Tbilissky, Kurganinsky, Mostovsky, Tuapsinsky, Temryuksky, Dinskoy, Timashyovsky, Seversky, Krymsky, Novokubansky, Kavkazsky and Uspensky. The federal rayons are further subdivided into ?? s. Districts under jurisdiction of republics are: Adyge-Khablsky, Karachayevsky, Khabezsky, Malokarachayevsky, Prikubansky, Urupsky, Ust-Dzhegutinsky, Zelenchuksky, Baksansky, Chegemsky, Chereksky, Elbrussky, Leskensky, Maysky, Prokhladnensky, Tersky, Urvansky, Zolsky, Alagirsky, Ardonsky, Digorsky, Irafsky, Kirovsky, Mozdoksky, Pravoberezhny and Prigorodny. Cities under federal or republic jurisdiction are: Maykop (f), Krasnodar (f), Labinsk (f), Anapa (f), Gelendzhik (f), Tuapse (f), Goryachy Klyuch (f), Slavyansk-on-Kuban (f), Belorechensk (f), Sochi (f), Novorossiyk (f), Cherkessk ®, Karachayevsk ®, Nalchik ®, Baksan ® and Vladikavkaz ®. Geography ]] Adygea encompasses the western part of the and a part of the northern slopes of the . Geographically, the area is split by the into two distinct parts, with the crossing through the country's northern territory. The southern, seaward third (historically known as ) is the western extremity of the range, lying within the ecoregion; the is or, in the south-east, . The northern two-thirds lies on the and shares continental climate patterns. The largest lake is Abrau in the wine-making region of Abrau-Dyurso. Several zones of nature conservation have been established in Adygea: the Caucasian State Biosphere Reserve; a number of unique natural monuments; and "Mountainous Adygea" National Park, which is under construction. Economy at night]] Adygea's economy is mostly centred around the fishing, agricultural, chemical, manufacturing and petroleum industries. Logging, mining (gold, silver, tungsten, iron, bauxite, coal, magnesium and others), power generation, construction and metal-working are important second- and third-tier sectors. There is, as well, a growing interest in the and sectors. Local focuses primarily on , especially and s ( s are somewhat less popular), and the cultivation of grains, fruit, and . Since the late 1990s, Adygea has made it a priority to slash inflation and boost the economy, which has resulted in a comparatively strong currency and a fairly high per-capita income, although the income balance is skewed in favour of urban populations. Even so, the standard of living in many Adygean communities has noticeably improved since the August coup. Transport The federal government's Ministry of Transport handles much of the republic's rail lines and major highways (six lanes or moreAdygean Ministry of Transport, Law of Transport in the Republic of Adygea, p. 342-343, 1998), while regional-level subministries handle local roads and highways up to four lanes, and control harbour access. A network of highways, largely centred on Maykop and Krasnodar, spans number kilometres, while the country's rail network runs a total of number kilometres. There is an international airport in Maykop ( UGKM), as well as another in Krasnodar and Sochi, and a regional airport in Anapa. Adygea possesses only a partially-developed system of transport, being adequate in some areas and inadequate in others (most equipment is in need of repair, update or both). To address this, the MoT has begun a large-scale project, known as 'Project: Connection', scheduled through 2012. Military After the , Adygea inherited a military force of approximately ? soldiers on its territory. That number has decreased over seven years to approximately ? soldiers. In 1991, there was effectively no Adygean Navy, but in recent times the Adygean government has worked to acquire two corvette-sized ships and several patrol boats to bolster its ability to defend against a ship-borne invasion. Following its independence, Adygea declared itself a neutral state. The country had limited military partnership with Russia and other CIS countries and has had a since . In the 2000s, Adygea was leaning toward , and a deeper cooperation with the alliance was set by NATO-Adygea Integration Plan signed in 2002. As of , this issue is a subject of extensive debate within Adygea as to whether the country should join NATO. Demographics According to the 2006 Adygean census, about 72.6% of Adygeans are ethnic , out of Adygea's population of 5,321,472. Other ethnic groups include , , , ins, s, , s, , , , , , and , as well as a small percentage that identified as 'other'. Adygea also represents considerable linguistic diversity. Within the branch of (itself a branch of the ), there are several dialects, including Abzekh, Adamey, Bzhedugh, Hatukuay, Kemirgoy, Makhosh, Natekuay, , Zhane and Yegerikuay. has its own dialects, as well; the other branch, Abkhaz-Abazan, including , and , is widely spoken in the south-east. Other languages, such as , and are also widespread. In the early , following the dissolution of the , separatist movements in Kabardino-Balkaria broke out, resulting in of and in, whereas the former had constituted 38% of the population. Many Ossetians who had left came to North-West Ossetia, some to campaign for independence there. Of the many Ingush and Chechens who had been , only a few returned to Adygea, but a significant portion of Balkars and Karachays did make the trip. Today most of the population practices of the Adygean Orthodox Church (73%). The religious minorities include (13.6%), (9.3%), (1.8%) and (1.1%). 0.9% of the population declared themselves adherents of other religions, and 0.3% declared themselves or . Culture Adygebze ( ) is a member of the North-West Caucasian group of Caucasian languages. Along with the Russian language, the Adyghe language is the state language of Adygea. There are about a hundred of social, political and religious associations, movements and parties of Adygea, and veteran, youth and women organizations in Adygea. Adygea attaches considerable importance to its culture and education. The Adyghe Pedagogical Institute was reorganized into Adyghe State University, and a new higher educational establishment, Maykop State Technological Institute, was opened in . Post-graduate doctoral programs were opened in the higher educational establishments, where academic councils work. There are eight state-supported and twenty-three local museums in Adygea. The National Museum of the Republic of Adygea, in Maykop, owns unique archaeological, ethnographic and nature collections. A special section dedicated to the life of Adyghe diaspora was opened. The most ancient monument of the Adyghe culture is the Nart Epic. It reflects the people's idea of the world on the early stage of human community development, their occupations, ethic standards, philosophical ideas, legends, customs and peculiarities of their way of life. Sixty-six sportsmen of Adygea are members of Adygean united teams in eighteen kinds of sport. The female handball team of Adyghe State University were awarded bronze medals in the Super League Championship of Russia in . The annual cycle race "Friendship of North Caucasus Peoples" has been held since . Its route runs through the following cities: Maykop - Krasnodar - Stavropol - Cherkessk - Pyatigorsk - Nalchik - Vladikavkaz. The rafting contest "InterRally-Belaya", also promoting the ideas of peace and friendship among peoples of Russia and the Caucasus, takes place in Adygea every spring. The territory of the Republic is considered to be the zone of combined tourism. It has considerable hunting resources. Science and technology The republic is the home of what was the largest telescope of the world when it was built: a very large radiotelescope (600 meters in diameter), located on the bank of the Zelenchuk river, between the villages of Zelenchukskaya and Arkhyz. Rostov-on-Don is the home of the Astrophysical Observatory of the Adygean Academy of Science, dedicated to the study of astronomy. Miscellaneous topics * Adygean citizens , although cheap ese LHD cars are more popular than RHD cars of the same class. This does not seem to extend to trucks or town cars, but only to sedans and some vans. References and notes External links * Site of the State Council * Official presidential site * Official government portal * Ministry of Foreign affairs * Ministry of Defence * Ministry of Internal Affairs * Ministry of Finance * Central Bank of Adygea * Central Court of Adygea Category:Adygea Category:Countries Category:Historic Nations